


Soothing the Roots of Despair

by Red Charade (traciller)



Series: Domestic Coldflash [2]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Barry is feeling down, Barry is paralyzed, Cisco just gets a cameo, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hair Washing, I hope, Len is the best boyfriend, M/M, but it's a funny cameo!, hints at depression, to put it mildly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2015-11-20
Packaged: 2018-05-02 12:02:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5247539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/traciller/pseuds/Red%20Charade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place after Enter Zoom with Barry still paralyzed. The showers are no longer set up for someone who can't walk, so Len decides to wash Barry's hair himself while Barry is still in the hospital bed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soothing the Roots of Despair

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own CW's The Flash or any of its characters. I am not making any profit or gain from this fanwork, it's purely for entertainment purposes only.

Barry sighed and looked at the two basins of warm water that had been brought over, along with the towels and shampoo. “I can wash my own hair you know. My arms aren't the problem.”

“I know, but nothing's really set up for that. You'll just get water everywhere. Caitlin and Cisco haven't found the bench seat for the showers yet.” Len replied as he rolled his sleeves up.

“Fine, just...get the wheelchair, then.” Barry said with a sigh, figuring it would be easier for his boyfriend if he was sitting up. And maybe allow him to keep at least a little bit of the dignity that his paralysis had taken from him.

“It'll be better if you just let me do this while you're in the bed...” Len said, keeping his voice neutral up until this point when he let it turn a bit softer. He could already see the blush creeping up his boyfriend's cheeks and he knew it was shame and not embarrassment.

Barry frowned. “Are you gonna give me a sponge bath, too?” The sarcasm in the question was thick.

Len smirked a little. “If you want...”

The suggestion in the tone was clear and Barry blushed more, this time from embarrassment. And maybe from a little surprise, too. It wasn't that he hadn't had sex with Len. They definitely had been together in that way. Many...many times. Just...not since Zoom.

“Sh-shut up and let's just get this over with,” Barry said, allowing Len to take the pillows out from behind his head. A couple of towels were folded and in place of the pillows. Each time Len had to move Barry, he helped support weight and gently helped him lean back.

Len was just glad that Barry was not only cooperating but his mood was improving just a little. Len hadn't bothered Barry about sex or even really flirted too much since he woke up after what happened with Zoom, but it wasn't because Barry was suddenly undesirable to him. And he knew that Barry could, if he wanted to. He had just thought that after everything that happened and having to adjust and cope with the injuries until they healed properly (if they healed properly), the last thing Barry needed was an oversexed boyfriend trying to get into his hospital bed. There wasn't much he could do to keep Barry from feeling stressed right now, but he could at least not pressure him. Barry's needs were more important than Len's right now.

He leaned down to kiss his boyfriend softly on the forehead, then the cheek, and then pressed his lips to Barry's, let the kiss linger but kept it soft and was glad when Barry responded favorably to it, bringing a hand up to lightly touch Len's cheek.

“You ready?” Len asked, when he pulled away. He didn't want the water to get cold, so as much as he would prefer to spend more time kissing Barry...they should get this done first.

“Yeah...just, be careful.”

“I promise not to accidentally drown you.” Len chuckled as he brought one of the portable basins closer. He used a small cup to wet Barry's hair, using his free hand to guide the water so that it didn't get everywhere, or run into Barry's eyes or even into his ears.

After a few moments, Barry relaxed. The water was warm and Len's hands were gentle and careful. It was actually really soothing. After a while, Barry felt his eyes close.

Len noticed Barry relaxing and that helped him relax a little more. He hadn't wanted to cause Barry extra stress, but some things just needed to be done. Besides, sometimes when you're feeling sick or down it could help your mood to get cleaned up. And what kind of boyfriend would he be if he just let his lover wallow in sadness and anger and other negative emotions? Not that he Barry didn't have a right to be feeling those things and to process and deal with those feelings. But, Len knew a little bit about thinking you were dealing with something while you were actually just sinking deeper into the feelings. There wasn't a lot he could do, but he would do what he could.

“That feels nice...” Barry said when he felt Len gently massaging the shampoo into his hair, working up a good lather and kneading his scalp. Barry actually moaned a little.

Len grinned when he heard it. Good. That was a good sign. Or, he was going to take it as one.

“You make the best sounds, Scarlet.” Len said, because he'd noticed earlier how well Barry had responded to his flirting.

Barry blushed again, but he also smiled just a little. No snarky come back, though, just another appreciative moan when Len rinsed the shampoo out.

Len repeated the process once more before he put the basins, the cup and the shampoo aside and dried Barry's hair, making sure the towels he'd put down under Barry had caught any excess water and then removing them as well and bringing Barry's pillows back once he was sure everything was dry.

“Be right back, Scarlet.” he said and took the basins and everything else to the bathroom area, emptying the water, rinsing the basins out, and putting the shampoo away. He put the cup with the basins and then went back to Barry.

“Are you serious?” Barry asked, chuckling when he saw his boyfriend show up with a small hairdryer.

Len plugged it and checked the setting, then turned it on and smirked. “Oh, I'm serious, Scarlet. Can't let you catch a cold with that damp hair.”

“We're indoors and it's warm in here. Besides, I don't catch colds anymore.” Barry said, but he didn't actually try to stop Len from using the hairdryer on him. Mostly because it meant Len would have his hands in Barry's hair again and that had definitely felt nice earlier.

Len was gentle with this, as well, making sure not to hold the device too close to Barry's head. He kept it up until his boyfriend's hair was completely dry, then turned it off and put it aside after unplugging it.

“Now what?” Barry asked, giving him a curious look as he watched Len head over to one of the cabinets and open it.

“This,” Len said and showed Barry the brush he'd taken from a cabinet shelf.

“I can do that myself, too, you know.” Barry commented, though at this point he was pretty sure it would do no good.

“I don't know why you're always trying to deprive me of my pleasures in life, Scarlet. You give me the cold shoulder when I pull jobs and now you're not even going to let me brush my hot boyfriend's beautiful hair?” Len asked, even as he shut the cabinet and went over to Barry with the brush, moving it away from Barry's hand when he tried to reach for it and instead started to brush Barry's hair for him despite what he'd just said.

Barry rolled his eyes, unable to keep the smile from his lips now. “Oh my God, not the puns again.” he groaned.

“You love it.” Len said with a grin.

“What happens if Cisco and Caitlin can't find that bench seat?” Barry asked, changing the subject. If they continued talking about puns, Len would just think up more and they'd become more frequent. The last thing he needed was for Len to start averaging a pun per every sentence. He knew his boyfriend could do it, too…

“Well...that offer about the sponge bath is still good.” Len answered, his voice turning a little husky.

“Oh...oh God, never mind, I'm leaving!” Cisco said, having walked in just as Len said that.

“Cisco!” Barry called as he watched his friend turn on his heel in a surprisingly tight u-turn and head back toward the door.

“TMI, you guys!” Cisco yelled over his shoulder as he left the room and slammed the door behind him.

Len couldn't help laughing.

“Len, it's not funny. We might have scarred him for life or something.” Barry said, although he was fighting down a few chuckles of his own.

“He'll be fine. Come on, I'm almost done with this.” Len replied as he ran the brush through a few more times.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm SO SORRY for that pun. 
> 
> Also, I got the idea from a list I saw on Tumblr (which I might go back to for inspiration for more fics later): http://crimsondomingo.tumblr.com/post/133561941204/nonsexual-acts-of-intimacy-select-from-the


End file.
